Improvement in machines for bending wood



UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN MCMIOHAEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VRIGHTBROTHERS & OO., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BENDING WOOD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 10,262, datedDecember 20,1870.

` To all whom it may concern:

My invention is made with reference to facilitating the process ofbending, reducing the space required to turn out a large quantity ofhooks, and reduce the expenses of bending or manufacturing them.

My invention consists in the combination of a grooved upright, heated bysteam, with spring-levers and screw-clamp, in order that largequantities of umbrella-sticks or canes can be curved at any desiredangle in a short space of time and at a small expense.

Figure l is a front View of my machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of same,with spring-levers broken and detached. Fig. 3 is a back view of Fig. 2,with the cylinder cut at right angles, in order to show the interior ofsame. Fig. l isa sectional view of Fig. l on the line from the extendedpart A of the cylinder, are

a series of curved grooves, g g g, which extend around the cylinder andacross the part A', as shown in Fig. 3. A short distance from the 'sideof the cylinder A and extended part A is a metallic standard, S, asshown in Figs. l, 2, and3, between the said standard, being secured ontop` of the table by means of basepiece, through which passes screws orbolts, and at the top is held rigidly by means of a cross-piece, C P,secured on top of the standard and cylinder. In the space between thecylinder A and the standard S, and immediately opposite each groove inthe clyinder, is a series of movable clamps, e c c. On the face of saidclamps are secured anumber of springlevers, L L L, which extend out andbeyond the cylinder A, and are provided with suitable handles, as shownin Figs. l and 4. On the back part of the clamps c c c are cast orformed guides or pins p p, said guides or pins passing through suitableopenings in the standard S, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In the center ofthe standard S, and immediately opposite the clamps c c c, are cutopenings, the interior of which is provided with a thread. Passingthrough the said opening is a series of screw-bolts, b b b, for forcingthe clamps c c c against the sticks or canes to be bent, and retainingthem iirmly in place.

In operating my machine the steam is turned on, and 'enters the pipe Bthrough suitable steam-fittings. The ends oi' the canes or sticks to bebent are placed in a tank or any other suitable vessel, when the steamis admitted, in order to sufficiently soften them. The sticks are thenplaced by the operator in the grooves between the cylinder and theclamps, With the steamed end to be bent in contact with the iiat orlower end of, the handle of the springlever. The screw-bolts are thenscrewed up against the clamps by means of a lever or key. The cane isthen curled by means of gradual pressure 0r curving of the springlever,which carries around and bends the stick to the desired curve, Where it(the stick) is retained in the grooves of the cylinder until dry bymeans of a hook or rod which extends over the cane and handle of thespring-lever, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

I do not desire to limit myself to simply a circular opening through thecenter and length of the grooved cylinder A, as the opening for steamcan be made large, and assume somewhat the form of the exterior of thecylinder, in order that the grooves in the cylinder can be heated to agreater degree, and thus dry the sticks or canes more rapidly.

I am aware of the patent issued to Henry Winter, under date of May3,1870, forbending-machine, and therefore do not claim any In testimonyWhereofI have hereunto signed of the devices contained therein. my numein the presence of two subscribing` Havingthus described my invention,its con- Witnesses.

struction, and operation, what I claim, and dcy sire to secure byLetters Patent, is- JOHN MCMICHAEL.

The grooved cylinder A, constructed as herein specified, in combinationwith the Vitnesses:

standard S, clamps c c c, spring-levers LL L, Jos. H. CorrUoif,

and screw-bolts b b b, operating substantially FRANK SToUT.

as and for the purpose set forth.

